Equine insurance: Owner trampled to death by horse

A horse owner may have been trampled to death by her mount when she tried to protect the animal from being stung by a hornet, equine insurance customers have been told.

The Daily Mail reported that 44-year-old Suzanne Phillips was found dead with horseshoe marks on her clothes in a field in Ideford, Devon.

Ms Phillips had been feeding the 17.1 hands bay gelding, called Ronnie, just prior to the incident.

A friend of Ms Phillips, Julia Proctor, told a Torquay inquest that the horse was "sensitive" and "kind", but may have reacted wildly to an insect sting.

South Devon coroner Ian Arrow recorded a verdict of accidental death, saying: "I am satisfied that as there is no other explanation, she was struck by Ronnie the horse at some stage during the day and that led to her death."

Yesterday, Horse and Hound reported that hunt groom Hannah Wain died after falling from her mount on a Sunday morning hack, despite wearing a helmet.

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